The question of where good menswear designers come from is an interesting one.  To some extent they just seem to “appear”.  I think there is a critical point where the combined attention of their peers and the press tip them over into the public eye.  I think that it is at this point we can start to judge whether we like their clothes or not. 

This article offers you the opportunity to look a little further back in the process.  Specifically at a young design duo who recently won a Royal College of Art design competition.  Robert Hoth and Simone Sommer are first year students at the RCA, studying for a Fashion Master of Arts.  The competition was jointly sponsored and judged by the RCA and UPS, the freight and documents carrier.  The challenge was to design clothes that emphasised free movement in combination with the distinctive elements of the UPS brand and culture.  Hoth and Sommer have certainly done that and have spun out a lot of ideas in the process. 

Robert Hoff & Simone Sommer

 You can see the results of their work for yourself here. 

 I liked two items in the collection.  I thought the chocolate-brown UPS leather blouson was inspired.  It provokes thoughts and images of fifties servicewear, an America where the post, freight and utility services were all smart and courteous.  It looks manly and solid, and would imbue UPS employees with those same qualities.  I also liked the UPS t-shirt. Specifically the way the secondary colours are used to contour and emphasis the shoulderline.  It’s modern yet smart enough to be a corporate shirt. 

 The runner-up is interesting too.  Men’s footwear designer Damion Le Cappelain has created a sports shoe that looks, well, sporty.  But it is also romantic, in a futuristic kind of way.  In my opinion he is on to something, even if it is not quite there yet. 

Damion Le Cappelain

You can see the shoes here 

Other shortlisted menswear can also be seen, here and here

Hoth and Summer (and the runners up) won cash prizes for their work, which were presented to them at the annual RCA gala.  We will write more about these designers another time, so if you have questions or comments on these guys, please put them in the comments and as usual I will do my best to answer them.

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www.oliversweeney.com